PROJECT: BBB Building Repair – West Palm Beach, FL

Repairing Structural Problems in the BBB Building

Foundation Professionals of Florida recently had the pleasure of stabilizing the BBB (Better Business Bureau) building in West Palm Beach, Florida. There were several problems evident to the repair team that worked on the BBB Building. In the interior of the building, ceiling tiles were buckling, door frames were not squarely lined up, floors were not level, and some cracks had started to form in the walls. All of these issues were the result of organic material found 30 ft below grade. This organic material in the soil was causing the foundation of the building to sink.

Solution: Piering and Polyurethane

Because foundation sinking is a serious problem that can result in structural failure and collapse, our crew started work right away. After inspecting the damage, we determined that a two-step process was the best repair solution for this case.

Step One
First, our team installed ECP PPB-166 brackets with model 300 heat-fused galvanized steel piers. To do this, we drilled through the interior floors and used a hand auger to remove soil from the drilled holes. The team was careful not to damage pipes located underneath the floor. We then inserted the brackets and drove the piers into load-bearing stratum to an average depth of 31.08 ft (pier depth ranged from 14′ – 55′). Hydraulic jacks were used to lift the brackets and level the slab.

Step Two
Next, we had to fill the gaps left under the ground due to the newly lifted slab. For this job, we used Precision Lift 4.0 from Prime Resin and 4.75 lb structural polyurethane, injected under high pressure into the ground. To finish up, holes were filled using a high-strength cementitious grout.

Our skilled team was able to complete this entire commercial repair job after hours, leaving the BBB employees free to work without disruption. See the pictures below to view our team’s work in the BBB building. Call us if you see problems in your home or business!